The importance of reading

    I´m sure that you´ve heard a million times about how important it is to have the habit of reading, how it can improve your culture and your life. In this post I want you to fall in love with reading. I want you to discover the magic of it. 

We have so busy and fast lifes that it is beyond our imagination to think about spending our time reading a book. We are used to things getting done really quickly, we despair when the internet goes a little bit slowly, when we wait on the bus line. In short we are used to  fast living  and not really taking our time . That's why reading is a less common habit or activity nowadays. I think that it's connected with  the fact that we don't take our time for almost anything. Multitasking is an example of it. 

When the word book or reading come to our mind , we think about long complicated  books and Netflix seems a lot nicer. But the truth is that there is a book for everyone. There are so many kinds of them. Reading is an activity that helps you to improve your concentration. When we read at blogs or in social media we are actively interrupted by notifications, the comments, looking at the likes of the post or sharing them. We are not completely immersed in our reading. On the contrary, when we read a novel we practice what is called “ deep-reading”. We are fully concentrated in our lecture.  Nowadays TDH is  sadly a very common condition , that´s a proof of how mindfulness is each time less habitual. In fact reading  strengthens your brain, it reforce the brain connections and the longer you read , the stronger they get. It's widely known that people who have the habit of reading have a more extensive vocabulary, this is called the Mathew effect in reference to the Bible´s versicle. This can  help you even to get a job. because companies are searching to hire people with communicative skills. 

However your vocabulary is not the only thing that grows with reading but also your general culture. As I've already said there are so many kinds of books that you can learn a lot of new information. Even if you read fictional novels , those give you information about the culture, the epoch of the characters, the history background  .  Or you have more conversation topics for your daily life or when you meet new people . Also researchers have found that long-term fictional readers tend to sympathize more with people because they have a “ theory of mind” ; the skills of communicating, building and maintaining relationships ; more developed.

Another benefit of reading is that it reduces your stress levels, a study led by Edmund Jacobson, who is the pioneer of the progressive relaxation, proved it . For his study he created a machine who measured the knee reflex movements of the subjects tested depending on what activity they were doing. He discovered that the people who were reading had more relaxed movements. Another study tested the cortisol ( the hormone who causes stress) levels in the blood in persons who were doing different activities. They found out that reading relaxes us as activities like yoga or tai-chi.  Furthermore, the habit of lecture boosts your self-confidence . There is a concept calle “ self-efficacy”, is our believing that our actions can have an impact in the world which is true. When we read fiction books where the characters go through different situations and they evolve as a better and stronger  person,  reforce our feeling of self-efficacy, we are also capable of doing this.

Loneliness is something we have all experienced. But there is a big difference between being lonely and feeling lonely. Reading a book will not change the fact that maybe in this moment you are living alone  for example, but it will change the  loneliness feeling that you have . Books are a great company, you connect with the characters, you are transported to the place of history. A study made on older people proved that the ones who had the habit of reading felt less lonely rather than the others.

These days we live in a bubble. Why? Because even if we live in a time when almost all the world it's connected, we are updated about the news all around the globe, we have plenty of information of all kinds, we tend to just look at what it´s according to our beliefs, likes and dislikes, etc. We follow people who think like us, we read newspapers of our political inclinations and even our social circle it´s similar to us . And actually this has a name , it's called  the “filter bubble” effect. So thanks to reading we can discover many different points of views, realities, beliefs. In fictional and no fictional books. That's the magic about reading. You can travel all around the world without even moving of your couch.

Book recommendations:

-Sophie´s world- Josteein Gaarder. It's an INCREDIBLE  book that narrates  you the history of philosophy through the adventure of this young girl called Sophie and her mentor Albert.

-Samarcande- Amin Kaalouf. It´s a fictional novel about the life of Omar Khayyam, a great  persian poet and mathematician. 

-Notre Dame de Paris- Victor Hugo. I´m sure you´ve heard the history of Esmeralda and Quasimodo. It's truly worth reading. 

- A little light of the spiritual laws- Diana Cooper. I just can't express how much I love this book. It explains to you easily and beautifully the spiritual laws that rule the universe in order to be available to understand more the life and be the master of it.

-100 years of solitude - Gabriel García Marquez.  Another great classic , it's a fun and amazing book. I love the “ magic realism” used by the author and the beautiful metaphors and quotes from the book. 

-The life you were born to live-Dan Millman. Numerology it's a great science that guides us in life and helps us to understand us more, our purpose in life and how to achieve it. In this book you will understand what it´s a “ Life path Number”, which is yours, and how to take action depending on it. It's a very specific insight of your numbers and your life +  it has a lot of spiritual laws at the end of the book.

Jean Honoré Fragonard, Young girl reading

NUMEROLOGY

        

     We are constantly surrounded by numbers, even if like me you are not a big fan of them. Your address, your ID number, your cellphone number, your birthday,prices on stores, etc. Actually the place where you are right now it's a specific number coordinate. Maybe you´ve never heard about numerology, maybe you have a general idea of what it is or maybe you´re very interested in it. Whatever is your case in this post I will clarify any qualms you have about it. I will begin with the history of numerology, how it works , what it's your “ Life path number”, your “ Expression number” , your “ Soul Urge number” your “ Personality number” and . Finally I will tell you some fun facts about numerology.

Numerology is an ancient science, some of the first traces of it date back to ancient Egypt, Babylon, China, Rome. It believes that your birth date, birth name influence your life and the cosmos , and there is a mystical relation between numbers , those and other events.  However the pioneer and father of numerology is Pythagoras. He is known for being a remarkable mathematician and a brilliant philosopher. His fascination for numbers led him to study Chaldean numerology for 22 years . The wise greek thought everything that surround us  could be translated to numbers.  “ Number is the within of all things” , quoting Pythagoras.  He created the  “ Pythagorean number system” which assigns numbers to the letters.

In many cultures numbers have meanings, in China the number 4 brings bad luck. In Christian  religion , even if the church resist to this “ magical” science there a lot of relations between numbers and important events 666 refers to the beast or the Devil and 888 is said to represent Jesus. Also 3 and 7 have strong meanings in the Bible. God created the word in 7 days, Jesus was crucified at 3´o'clock, etc.

There are three major forms of Numerology : Kabbalic, Chaldean and the Pythagorean. 

Kabbalic numerology is more used for interpreter names. In the 13th century Kabbalist thought the Old Testament was written in a numeric encrypted code. 

Chaldean numerology is closer to astrology and has his origins in Mesopotamia. This form of numerology believes that each letter has their own vibration and is assigned a number from 1 to 8  based on their energetic quality ( 9 is a sacred number) . Single digits reveal the outer nature of a person and double digits their inner qualities.

Pythagorean numerology, the most famous, design a number to each letter based on their position on the sequence ( as we can see in the picture above). This kind of numerology uses birth date and birth name , and they assign numbers from 1 to 9 . The sacred numbers are 11,22 and 33. 

How does Numerology work ? Well here we are going to analyze Pythagorean numerology , because it's more used and more known .  Here I´am going to give  you a basic summary because if you want to really go deep into your Life path number, Inner Numer, Soul Urge number, etc , it's better to go to a numerology reading .

Your life path number, like the name says, it forms the basis of what path your life could take. It also points to your personality  traits, how you are or how you could be and even opportunities, lessons and challenges you could face. It's similar to your zodiac sign . To find out what´s your Life path number you need to add the numbers of your birth date. For example if you were born on 19 April 1974 , you will add 1+9+4+1+9+7+4= 35. Then you add the two lasting numbers : 3+5= 8 . So your life path number is 8 in this case. You should keep adding  the numbers together until you have a single number digit.  For instance if you add all the figures from your birth date and you end up with 1+9= 10, you should add 1+0= 1 . It's important to point out that the first result of your addition ,  ( in the first example was 35) it's the age when you are going to experience a big change or something important will happen in your life. I´m not saying you´re going to win the lottery but maybe it is a new job opportunity that will lead you to your professional success.

The expression number, also called” Destiny number” , is calculated with your full  birth name and displays your skills, strengths and the things that challenge you. We calculate this with the Pythagorean alphabet , and it's important to include your middle names, no matter how many you have , and of course your last name(s) until you finish with one single digit number.  But don´t forget the Master numbers 11,22,33 . If you end up with any of this number don't add them up . Let me show you how to do it. If your name is Richie Hawtin :

R  I  C  H  I  E   H  A  W  T  I  N

9+9+3+8+9+5+8+1+5+2+9+5= 73

7+3= 10

1+0= 1

Your expression number is 1 in this case .

Your Soul Urge number reveals your inner desires, your destiny and your authenticity. It reveals your true self and helps you to find what you really want in your life. Like they say, the most difficult task in life is getting to know yourself. 

To find out what´s your Soul urge number is, you need to add all the vowels of your full name, only the vowels. Why only the vowels? Because the consonants represent your public persona and instead the vowels show your inner self , peculiarities and beliefs. So if we continue with the previous example.

I+I+E+A+I

9+9+5+1+9= 33

Your personality number is quite the opposite to your “ Soul Urge number” because it shows your outer self , the one  you show to others.  It shows you how people see you and maybe you are unaware of some aspects.  You need to calculate the consonants of your full name. So like this:

R+C+H+H+W+T+N=  

9+3+8+8+5+2+5= 40

4+0=4 

FUN FACTS

Now let me tell you some fun facts about numerology

1. Have you noticed some number patterns in your daily life? Maybe you always see the number 222 in license plates ,you always find 5 fliers on your mailbox or maybe in your dreams you often see a number sequence .  Those are angel numbers, but what does that mean? Well it is believed that this is the way by which angels communicate with you. To give you advice, encourage you on your outgoing life decisions or  warn you by some of them.Angels numbers are commonly number sequences such as 1234, 777, 111, etc. but they can also be single number digits.  This is a very interesting topic and very extended one, that's why I leave you a link where it is well explained. Because I don't want this post to be endless.

https://www.thelawofattraction.com/angel-number- guide/#:~:text=What%20Are%20Angel%20Numbers%3F&text=These%20are%20typically%20repeating%20sequences,need%20to%20avoid%20or%20change

2. The term “ Numerology” was established by Dr. Julian Stenton , who popularized it . Before it was known as the “ Science of Names and Numbers”.

1. If you have changed your name , by any reason, it will impact your  Numerology numbers. Well yes, of course, if letters are changed also numbers. So a new chart will be created.

The meaning of colours

 Colours have their own language , such as flowers or gestures .They can transmit us a feeling, a message. However the interpretation of colours is not the same in all cultures and that's what makes it interessant . Even if we tend to associate for example red with love and green with nature, these interpretations can differ according to the culture . But why are colors so important? Well, there is an spanish idiom that says “ todo entra por los ojos” which means that what we see, the visuals we see , it's the most important. It may sound superficial but we all know that is kind of true.  For example in the Western culture where black is associated mostly with death, it will be very odd to see a bride dressed in it. And now, without further ado,  let´s do a review of the colors.

 

RED

To start let's pick red, my favourite colour.  This color its eye- catching, that's why in countries around the world they used it for the traffic signs and to signify stop on traffic lights It´s a color commonly related to passion and love in the Western culture. It's the most color used by women for their lipstick and nailpolish.

Also in  China this colour represents good luck and prosperity and people traditionally wear it for  big celebrations such as New Year.  This color is even used for the bride's dress, yes that seems strange for other cultures but in India it's the same case. You can identify the brides because of the red henna on their hand . 

But in South Africa it´s linked with mourning, the red in this country's flag represents all the blood caused by the violence to gain their independence.

ORANGE

 

Orange is another remarkable color, as a matter of a fact life rats, life jackets and buoys are orange. Even the so-called “ balck boxes” from the aircrafts are orange because it makes it easier to see them in the rubble.

 It´s a color considered wild and fun in most of the cultures. Actually most of the clown wigs are of this color. Further is  the color from the royal family in Netherlands, and there is a tradition in this country called the “ Oranjegekte” ( orange craze) that occurs during major sporting events or the King's birthday  and where people wear and decorate streets, their cars, their homes in  orange support their country. In Japanese and China this color represents love ,courage and happiness. In Southeast Asia buddhist monks from the Theravada tradition wear saffron-colored robes and it's considered a sacred color because of this. In fact the saffron is considered in India the saffron is considered to be lucky and sacred.

However in Egypt orange is the color of mourning , due to the fact that in Ancient Egypt they used a yellow-orange dye made from realgar in their tomb paintings.

YELLOW

The brightest color, the color of the sun and sunflowers. It´s other eye catching color , and the combination of this one with black is easy to see at long distances. That's why taxis and school buses are painted with yellow and black. Nevertheless this color has very different meanings around the world.

Because of the similarity between yellow and gold, in Africa it is used by  wealthy people. As well in Polynesia it's a sacred color, in local languages the word to design this color is the same used to the curcuma plant. In their culture this plant is thought to be the food of the gods.Besides, in India where like I´ve mentioned they painted the tombs in a yellow-orange hue,  this color is associated with mourning.

In China yellow has historical and cultural importance. The first Emperor was called “ the Yellow Emperor”. The “ yellow robe” was  the one the used by the Emperor. In addition notable visitors in China were honored with a yellow carpet. Nowadays is associated with pornography . They use the term  “ yellow picture” or “ yellow film ” to name pornographic  films, websites or images.

GREEN

The color of nature that surrounds us. It is related with the environment and in many asian cultures it´s bonded with eternal life and prosperity.

Ireland is nicknamed “ The Emerald Isle” due to the green countryside as a consequence of constant rain. Green is also related to leprechauns and fantastic beings such as fairies.  As well it´ s associated with greediness  and jealousy. When we say someone´s is “ green-eyed” when he is jealous and envious. The absinthe , a popular drink in “ La Belle Époque” , was called “ the green fairy” because of the strong percentage of alcohol that was on it and the cheap price which made it the doom for a lot of people .

BLUE

Blue is the color of both sky and sea . It's considered worldwide  a color of calm and security, that's why many banks choose to pick it for their logo. It's also the color of the United Nations flag.In fact in Greece there was a custom to paint all the doors and windows frames to prevent the evil spirits from coming in. The “ Nazar eye” also called the evil eye is a blue glass bead worn as a protective talisman against jealousy and evil.

While in the Western culture blue is often associated with masculinity, in China it is with femininity. Blue has strong meaning in different religions. In Hinduism it´is Krishna's  skin color, a goddess who embodied happiness and  love . In Judaism blue is the shade of  for holiness and divinity, just as in Catholicism where the “ Virgin Mary” is commonly  portrayed on a blue robe. 

PURPLE

This color is frequently tied to spirituality, faith, wealth and royalty. It's linked to richness because of the difficulty to produce this pigment.  Purple dye was extracted from sea nails and they needed for just one gram of this color nine thousands small mollusks. In fact it was called Tyrian purple because Tyre, a Phoenician city, was the only place to produce this hue. That's why purple clothing was exclusive for the royalty and wealthy people. It´s a color also related to womanhood and femininity.

In some European countries such as the U.K and Italy , also in Brazil and India , purple is considered a color of mourning. In Brazil it's  said to be unlucky wearing   purple  when it's not a funeral or an event linked to it. In Catholic tradition this color has the same meaning. As a matter of a fact, in Peru each year we celebrate “ El señor de los milagros” ( The Lord of  miracles) in honor of Jesus. In processions people wear purple robes , that is the traditional habits of the Nazarenas, devout Peruvians who took care of the Lord of miracle´s chapel. 

PINK

This shade is bonded to femininity, love, tenderness and romance. It´s a calming color . In the  1980´s after the  results of the scientist Alexander Schauss who found out the calming effects of this color, prison wardens started to paint holding cells in pink.  

A fun fact of this color is that in China it was an unrecognized color. But after the increasing Western color they named it “ foreign color”. Nowadays pink is a representative color of the battle against breast cancer.

WHITE

White is the reflection of all light waves in the visible spectrum . It's attached to purity, peace, goodness. In Western culture is the typical color of wedding dresses. This tradition goes back to the 19th century when Queen Victoria chose to wear a white lace gown instead of the coronation robes of royal tradition. Although some said it came of Roman tradition where brides wore white tunics to show their chastity . 

It´s a calming and peaceful color, that's why hospitals choose this shade for their rooms. Furthermore it is known that the white pigeon with an olive branch in the beak is a worldwide symbol of peace.

However in some cultures white is the color of mourning , in China it´s used in funeral clothing. 

BLACK

Black it's not a color ,technically is the absence of all visible light. It's related to evil, death, night time, elegance. In the Western culture is the predominant colors in funerals and for mourning. It´s a color related with elegance that's why most of the tuxedos are of this color and why we talk about “ balck-tie affairs” referring to formal ones.  In Japan it denotes mystery and it's used for calligraphy.  In many religions it is believed that before  the world was all darkness .The Devil is referred as the “ prince of darkness”. 

On the other hand in Egypt black is associated with life due to the rich black soil that flooded the Nile. In India balck is also a color of protection against evil, sometimes a black dot is painted under a person's chin or behind their ears for protection.

Colors have different meanings depending on the cultures. That's the beauty of diversity around the world, where you can always learn and discover new things. It's crazy how the same thing, in this case a color, can have so many differents interpretations worldwide. I hope this post will help you to understand more the beliefs and traditions of different civilizations and you learned new things.

PD: All the pictures were taken by myself, only the blue and black flowers picture´s are from the web